Online Document: Today In History

Today is Tuesday, April 28, the 118th day of 1998. There are 247 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:On April 28, 1947, a six-man expedition sailed from Peru aboard a raft named the Kon-Tiki on a 101-day journey that took them across the Pacific Ocean to Polynesia.

On this date:

In 1758, the fifth president of the United States, James Monroe, was born in Westmoreland County, Va.

In 1788, Maryland became the seventh state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

In 1789, there was a mutiny on The Bounty as the crew of the British ship set Capt. William Bligh and 18 sailors adrift in the South Pacific.

In 1940, Glenn Miller and his Orchestra recorded "Pennsylvania 6-5000" for RCA Victor.

In 1945, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were executed by Italian partisans as they attempted to flee the country.

In 1958, Vice President Nixon and his wife, Pat, began a goodwill tour of Latin America that was marred by hostile mobs in Lima, Peru, and Caracas, Venezuela.

In 1967, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the Army, the same day Gen. William C. Westmoreland told Congress the U.S. "would prevail in Vietnam."

In 1969, French President Charles de Gaulle resigned his office.

In 1980, President Carter accepted the resignation of Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, who had opposed the failed rescue mission to free American hostages in Iran.

Ten years ago: A flight attendant was killed and 61 persons injured when part of the roof of an Aloha Airlines Boeing 737 peeled back during a flight from Hilo to Honolulu.

Five years ago: The first "Take Our Daughters to Work Day," promoted by the New York City-based Ms. Foundation, was held to boost self-esteem of girls with invitations to a parent's workplace.

One year ago: In Philadelphia, President Clinton and three predecessors - George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford - began drafting a national army of community service volunteers during the Presidents' Summit for America's Future.